OK, let's do this! I'm very disappointed in those of you who claim you don't listen to Kanye West, btw.

Bad Hermit

9:01

Is this the State of the Union live chat?

Paul Swydan

9:01

No, no it is not.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:02

No ... hell no.

Paul Swydan

9:02

We're what's known as the counterprogramming.

9:02

And I guess I'm a bad American, because I'm watching the Celtics game.

Ryan

9:02

Would you rather, in a dynasty format, Votto or Bumgarner?

Jeff Zimmerman

9:02

Votto, I will always side witht he hitter

Paul Swydan

9:02

Probably Bumgarner. I expect Votto has another 2-3 good years in him, but I expect Bumgarner to have at least 4-5.

9:02

DISAGREEMENTS! Right out of the gate!

Jeff Zimmerman

9:03

No agreement night

Cwik

9:03

Anyone who picks against My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a nerd and a loser!

Paul Swydan

9:03

Chris Cwik has spoken. I tend to agree.

9:04

I was listening to the College Dropout instrumentals today, if you're wondering what spurred this.

Billy Corman

9:04

I don't know if you guys answer fantasy questions, but who would you predict to have the better career (or even first 5 years): Rodon, Severino or Iglesias?

Paul Swydan

9:04

We do! I will still ride with Rodon, but there is definitely a good case for Iglesias. Severino still may end up in the pen though, so not sure I'd want to take him.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:05

Iglesias - I like his arsenal and pitches. Just a little worried about his health

Neal Huntington

9:05

Do the Dodgers go out and get another elite bullpen arm on the trade market? Or were they just in on Chapman because he's Chapman?

Paul Swydan

9:05

I think the Dodgers more or less have their toes in the water on everyone, and just winnow down to the players they can get a good deal on. I think Chapman qualified as such a player, because obviously the Reds were just trying to give him away.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:06

I think they could use one of their 26 starters and move them to the bullpen and it would work fine.

Paul Swydan

9:06

Yeah, that too.

Matt

9:06

Dickerson & Lyles for Odorizzi and a prospect. My prediction. Yours?

Paul Swydan

9:07

I like the idea of sending CarGo to the Tigers for Norris or whichever pitching prospect they'll give up. CarGo's salary ain't no thang for the Tigers, and he would help them. The Rockies should hang on to Dickerson unless they get a Godfather offer for him, and that is not a Godfather offer.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:07

It will be for an arm and I think Cargo is gone. I could see the Oriole rumors pan out

FTF

9:08

In recent years, it seems to me that teams got good when they drafted in the 1-10 picks for multiple years (Houston, Rays, Nats, Cubs...). Is it why teams like Oakland or the Indians will remain middling teams averaging 50% winning pourcentage in the long term ?

Paul Swydan

9:09

I think that is part of it. But I think it's also because they aren't capable of making dollar-heavy moves in free agency, so they have one fewer team building avenue than do other teams.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:09

No, I think both have their chances to make the playoffs and don't need the complete overhaul.

FTF

9:10

What is your favorite baseball book ? (I won't take THT as an satisfying answer)

Paul Swydan

9:11

Probably "The Teammates," by David Halberstam. That is my standard answer. Jonah Keri's Expos book is up there as well. "Moneyball" helped set me on this path, so that is in the running as well.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:11

Anything Roger Angell has written. All are pure gold.

9:11

Ball Four is also up there.

Anthony

9:11

I really fail to see how Fangraphs is predicting the Jays and Red Sox to score the same amount of runs per game this year. Am I missing something? The Jays were easily the best offensive team in the league last year, and it wasn't close. They've lost Ben Revere, but still have Saunders (who is predicted to be BETTER than Revere at the dish) and Pompey who has tons of potential, not even mentioning a full season from Devon Travis. Boston added exactly 0 key pieces to their offense. I do think Boegarts and Betts will continue to get better, but will they be good enough to put the Sox offense ahead of the Jays?? I don't think so.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:13

I don't have the time to totally break down the offenses right now, but I expect most of Toronto's studs are on the wrong side of the aging curve and will likely ge significantly worse.

Paul Swydan

9:13

Well, you're obviously entitled to that opinion, but the projections for Saunders, Travis and Pompey aren't likely to be that robust because they haven't played full seasons ever/lately. And Toronto has a lot of older players who are likely going to be projected to regress. Boston on the other hand has young guys like Bogaerts and Betts. The projections this year will include a full season for Blake Swihart, who was very good in the second half. And finally, Sandoval and Ramirez were SO BAD last year, that any positive regression in the projections is going to be a huge boon for them.

Adam

9:14

What is the point of a mutual option? Doesn't a mutual option effectively always exist between each free agent and each MLB team at any given price?

Paul Swydan

9:15

Yeah, it seems mostly silly to me. It seems like the sort of thing that gets negotiated at the end of a deal just to appease the player.